GROUND SQUIRREL CONTROL IN SOUTHWEST UTAH Mark Nelson USU - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

GROUND SQUIRREL CONTROL IN SOUTHWEST UTAH Mark Nelson USU Extension Beaver County e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

Research funded by WESTERN SARE e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

Utah Beaver County e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

Beaver County  Beaver County is a rural county with a population of 6500.  Over 21,000 acres of alfalfa hay is raised in the county annually.  The majority of this high quality alfalfa is sold to the dairies in southern California. e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

Townsend Ground Squirrel  Is a small gray squirrel found in Nevada and Western Utah.  It eats alfalfa, grasses and other agronomic crops.  They breed in March and have litters of 8-10 babies in April. e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

 Hundreds of acres of alfalfa ground in western Beaver County are currently infested.  The problem has increased substantially the last few years. e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

The squirrels are costing farmers over $100,000 each year. They started out just infesting the fence lines but now are covering the whole fields. e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

Current control programs were not taking care of the problem . e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

 Once the alfalfa greens up it is hard to get the squirrels to eat the bait.  Shooting is fun but very time consuming.  Flooding and fumigating are effective but very time consuming e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

For the past two years we have held a series of public meetings to educate land owners on the best way to control the squirrels. Dr. Terry Mesmer, USU Extension Wildlife Specialist, has helped us implement a new baiting program where we could get better control by applying a pre-bait and then a bait before the alfalfa greens up. e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

 To determine the effectiveness of the prebaiting program we set up a trial where we compared the effects of no baiting, baiting, and prebaiting. e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

 We selected 12 plots, 3 each in 4 different farmers fields. Each plot was 150 ft X 150 ft and at least 1000 ft from each other. e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

Each treatment consisted of a plot that was prebaited with oats and then baited with zinc phosphide, 1 plot baited with zinc phosphide without prebaiting 1 control plot that received no treatment . e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

Squirrel Observations  Each plot was observed each day for 3 days before any baiting took place  The plots were observed for another 3 days after the treatments were applied. e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

 The prebait and bait was applied to the plots using a hand spreader. e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

Farmers are able to use 4 wheelers to spread the bait quickly and effectively e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

Beaver County treated all of the county right a ways e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

Results of the ground squirrel control trial – 2009 & 2010 Before baiting After Baiting % Change Control 2009 5.4 squirrels 3.6 squirrels 33% 2010 6.3 4.3 32% 32.5 Bait Only 2009 8.3 squirrels 3.4 squirrels 59% 2010 6.3 3.3 52% 55.5 Prebait – Bait 09 10.7 squirrels 2.7 squirrels 75% 2010 6.9 2.3 66% 71% e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

Follow up survey of farmers on the Milford Flat  The farmers who returned surveys estimated that they spent over $17,000 controlling squirrels.  52% of the farmers tried the pre-baiting, baiting program.  The majority of the farmers feel like this new baiting program really lowered the number of squirrels this past year. e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u

Questions Questions? Mark.nelson@usu.edu e x t e n s i o n . u s u . e d u